The Five Forks Campaign and the Fall of Petersburg by Edwin C. Bearss

Author:Edwin C. Bearss
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Savas Beatie
Published: 2014-04-04T04:00:00+00:00

Part VI

The V Corps Reports to Sheridan

When the fighting on the White Oak Road ceased, Warren’s soldiers heard the roar of battle rolling up from the southwest. Warren, as well as his troops, was disheartened to observe that the distant rumble seemed to be receding. If this were true, it indicated that Sheridan had encountered a force which was giving him trouble. Instead of advancing, it seemed to the interested listeners that Sheridan was being steadily driven back by the Confederates.131

Warren accordingly determined to rush a force to the assistance of the cavalry. General Griffin was alerted to have Bartlett’s brigade ready to move out. Bartlett was to march cross country and attack the Rebel force which was presumably driving Sheridan’s cavalry on its naked left flank. Major Cope of Warren’s staff was detailed to accompany Bartlett’s column.

Preceded by Captain Horrell’s escort company, Bartlett’s brigade took up the march. The orders Bartlett had received from Warren were simple. He was to proceed toward the sound of the firing and attack the Rebels in the rear. After leaving the White Oak Road, Bartlett’s troops advanced in a southwesterly direction. It was starting to get dark when the brigade passed through the picket line. The head of the column guided by the distant battle sounds. When the pickets shouted to the passing soldiers as to their intended destination, their inquiries were unanswered. Bartlett’s people were as ignorant—except that the line of march trended toward the sound of battle—of their destination as were the men manning the line of outposts.

At first, the march led across a belt of open ground. When the vanguard reached a branch of Gravelly Run, the Federals left the fields and entered the timber. Locating a “wood road,” Major Cope guided the column slowly forward. Before the soldiers had proceeded far into the timber, the firing died down. After advancing about one mile and crossing several arms of Gravelly Run, the head of the column debouched into an open field. On a hill in the soldiers’ immediate front could be seen Dr. Boisseau’s house.132

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